tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post2779109570104570367..comments2015-03-31T16:17:15.345-04:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: MONDAY, Mar. 5, 2007 - Fred PiscopRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67970953589119602462007-04-18T16:50:00.000-04:002007-04-18T16:50:00.000-04:00Thank you, Catherine. That's what I'm here for. Co...Thank you, Catherine. That's what I'm here for. Come back and comment any time.<BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>RPRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86540303263013067102007-04-18T15:55:00.000-04:002007-04-18T15:55:00.000-04:00I am on syndication delay, so I generally wander o...I am on syndication delay, so I generally wander over here a month after the puzzle goes live, but man! Normally I don't need you on a MONDAY. I agree with you 98% (I did get Astor... but I might have had xwords to help).<BR/><BR/>I've been meaning to leave a comment for a while, though - your blog is great, really cracks me up (and gets me out of crossword jams).Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00035416674656804840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77385722117833130572007-04-16T23:08:00.000-04:002007-04-16T23:08:00.000-04:00Meanwhile, 6 weeks later...I believe that the OR c...Meanwhile, 6 weeks later...<BR/><BR/>I believe that the OR coastal city of Astoria (at the the Columbia River delta) was named for famous furrier, a.k.a. Jingleheimer Schmidt. I may have to research that one day when not so close to a tax filing deadline. <BR/><BR/>My 16 year-old son wears a 4E, and just try finding football cleats in that spec. Just so's you know those sizes are really out there.<BR/><BR/>Over all, this one gave me the CLEEKS for a monday.imtzarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07813891327770266573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32312972595228518902007-04-16T15:21:00.000-04:002007-04-16T15:21:00.000-04:00Sorry about your RICE blunder. At least it wasn't ...Sorry about your RICE blunder. At least it wasn't switched to LICE, which would have been not only wrong but vaguely racist.<BR/><BR/>I do not believe you re: Astor being "at least as well known" as those other far, far more famous "tycoons," but I'm sure he is way more famous than I gave him credit for. I spent 8 years in the midwest and had never heard of him. I am most grateful for the "tycoon" etymology.<BR/><BR/>Best,<BR/>RPRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-86081897838214836732007-04-16T14:35:00.000-04:002007-04-16T14:35:00.000-04:00Just chiming in with an anecdote to explain why Mo...Just chiming in with an anecdote to explain why Monday puzzles have to be Monday puzzles. When I did this one on paper this morning, the "c" in my "icon" (23D) looked like an "L." I finished the grid and came here this afternoon to see what "rile" is and why you might serve it with sukiyaki...<BR/><BR/>As if that mistake isn't pathetic enough, I feel compelled to mention that I am of Japanese descent. This is the sort of thing I do on Monday mornings, so really, I do need an easy puzzle...<BR/><BR/>"Dirt Farmer," BTW, is a rather common expression here in the midwest, and folks around here are at least as familiar with Astor as with Carnegie, Hearst, and Rockefeller. So, "tycoon" was enough for me to get that one without resorting to "fur." <BR/><BR/>Just for the sake of my own cultural redemption, I'll also point out that the word "tycoon" is etymologically descended from the Japanese term, "taikun."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-69301863108902869632007-03-06T09:00:00.000-05:002007-03-06T09:00:00.000-05:00Mike Brady rocked the white man's perm harder than...Mike Brady rocked the white man's perm harder than it has ever been rocked before or since.Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63037708256631026342007-03-06T08:47:00.000-05:002007-03-06T08:47:00.000-05:00Mike, please give my regards to Carol. How's Alice...Mike, please give my regards to Carol. How's Alice?Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17559144141235215318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50265510075370852512007-03-06T01:13:00.000-05:002007-03-06T01:13:00.000-05:00For the record, I wear a 4E shoe. Turns out I was...For the record, I wear a 4E shoe. Turns out I was buying shoes that were two sizes too large because they were cut too narrowly. Fie on the media and their standards of foot beauty.<BR/><BR/>Mike (LaserWolf)Mike Bradyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12925985332433208220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6487672804123345992007-03-05T20:42:00.000-05:002007-03-05T20:42:00.000-05:00Mondays I like to try to do the puzzle -- or at le...Mondays I like to try to do the puzzle -- or at least the theme -- without using any writing utensil at all. I read the four theme clues, grasped GRUNGEROCKER right away, then figured out the other three as "dirt" clues, and tossed down the paper in less than a minute. So I never got as far as DETERGE. And I'm surprised you never heard of DIRTFARMER. Maybe it's because I live in the cornfields of the Midwest.PGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09406082843885356999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45850133227473836542007-03-05T18:46:00.000-05:002007-03-05T18:46:00.000-05:00DETERGE, vt, as in DETERGE the wound (from + terge...DETERGE, vt, as in DETERGE the wound (from + tergere, to wipe to cleanse, or further, to rub off, wipe off (more at terse) to cleanse). DETERGEnt, a cleansing substance, n. Terse - to clear; terror, frighten; turd, a piece of dung; terra, earth. TERRY, O.F. tirade. Perfect time for a rant! Indeed, let us deterge the terries!R. Kanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15554981963931655362007-03-05T17:04:00.000-05:002007-03-05T17:04:00.000-05:00Heh. I just checked Zappos.com, the shoe retailer....Heh. I just checked Zappos.com, the shoe retailer. Not only do they sell EEE wide shoes, they've also got EEEE, EEEEE, and EEEEEE. Eeeeeek!Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17559144141235215318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77817233454365021682007-03-05T16:38:00.000-05:002007-03-05T16:38:00.000-05:00Agree, DETERGES, TERRIES, and CLEEK are total aber...Agree, DETERGES, TERRIES, and CLEEK are total aberrations, particularly on a Monday puzzle. But, Rex, Dude, that was quite a rant... did you forget to take you meds again this morning?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85159141444285404122007-03-05T13:51:00.001-05:002007-03-05T13:51:00.001-05:00^ trifecta = duo. you know what i meant.^ trifecta = duo. you know what i meant.matt alstonwww.ncsu.edunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-63831908114357319582007-03-05T13:51:00.000-05:002007-03-05T13:51:00.000-05:00as far as HOMES, there is "erie" aleady in the puz...as far as HOMES, there is "erie" aleady in the puzzle, so the cluing could have been clever.<BR/><BR/>not to mention... the omit/emit trifecta also contains an emit/edit crossing. <BR/><BR/>AND this crossword has the ultimately lazy "EEE" shoe size. does anyone alive have a freakin triple-e shoe? epee shows up<BR/><BR/>hume cronyn crossed with mortimer something in the same area as james agee made deterges and terries very difficult for a 22-year-old solving this puzzle. just saying.... and titter? sucked.matt alstonwww.ncsu.edunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-41432111007915052142007-03-05T13:29:00.000-05:002007-03-05T13:29:00.000-05:00This was easy enough for Monday despite the CLEEKi...This was easy enough for Monday despite the CLEEKiness of some of the clues. Somehow everything fell into place around the obscurities.<BR/><BR/>Rex, I loved your Deterging Terries Rant. You make me laugh at puzzle attributes which irk at the time.<BR/><BR/>On to Tuesday...Ultra Vinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36859319296836054442007-03-05T11:29:00.000-05:002007-03-05T11:29:00.000-05:00This it the kind of puzzle that makes amateurs lik...This it the kind of puzzle that makes amateurs like myself weep. " Cleek? Deterge? But Monday is supposed to be easy AND make sense, right?" And sukiyaki is served with noodles, for heaven's sake.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13974832504850748754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6589974266125251602007-03-05T10:05:00.000-05:002007-03-05T10:05:00.000-05:00OK, Chris, not terribly obscure, I'll grant you, b...OK, Chris, not terribly obscure, I'll grant you, but ... just because a guy's name is on everything doesn't mean people know he was a fur trader. If you follow. And non-NY-ers do the puzzle too. It's true! I would never have balked at ASTOR if it weren't for the other, much worse off-ness of this puzzle.<BR/><BR/>little guy - I hear what you're saying about the Monday, but I can't let any day of the week off the hook. I've seen excellent Mondays. I know it can be done.<BR/><BR/>RPRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23872372580779835322007-03-05T09:56:00.000-05:002007-03-05T09:56:00.000-05:00I don't think the John Jacob Astor clue was too ob...I don't think the John Jacob Astor clue was too obscure for a Monday, at least not for native New Yorkers. There's Astor Place, Astor Plaza, Astoria, Queens, and I know I'd heard or seen the guy's full name in reference to Astor Plaza in ads or something. I didn't know he was a fur tycoon, but how many tycoons named John Jacob are there? So maybe Astor is obscure for most of America, but he should pretty well known for much of the Times' readership.<BR/><BR/>Other than that, though, I thought you were dead on, especially with deterges(!?) and terries.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07177442874914826830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-90039836101509025032007-03-05T09:48:00.000-05:002007-03-05T09:48:00.000-05:00This is the puzzle that employers love -- employee...This is the puzzle that employers love -- employees get right to work because the puzzle was easy. That's part of the reason the Monday-Saturday gradation evolved, the NYT being well aware of the exigencies of getting back to business on Monday. If you've never worked in an office and hidden the clipped-out puzzle under your ledger, you haven't lived! Kindness to the Monday puzzle is in order, no matter how hackneyed it may be -- it's the people's puzzle, your Majesty!Little Guynoreply@blogger.com